Do chat up lines really work?

Chat up lines tend to be thought of as a jokey dating tactic, not as a serious way to find love, but a new survey has found that 45% of people in the UK still use chat up lines.

On top of that, the survey carried out by Ladbrokes in Manchester found of the 50.3% of people who admitted to using chat up lines, an impressive 68% of them said they had actually worked on someone they found attractive.

Other smooth cities finding success using cheeky chat up lines included London, Leeds, and Cardiff.

Ladbrokes also looked into the biggest turn-offs for those living in Manchester and found the following top five actions were a definite no-go:

When it came to first date conversations, 65% of people living in Manchester said they worried about awkward silences, and 41% said they actually pre-planned their conversation topics before going on a date. The most popular go-to topic for Mancunians on a first date was their hobbies, and they were least likely to talk about politics.

The survey also looked into the biggest turn-offs on a first date, and the results showed that the people of Manchester were most put off by talk of past relationships, but were quite happy to talk about their pets. Bad table manners were a big red flag, with 67% of respondents in Manchester saying this would be a turn-off for them. Sharing food wasn’t too big an issue, though, with only 21% saying it would put them off.

Dudi Nakdimon, from Ladbrokes, said: “It’s so interesting to see how the success of chat up lines varies around the country, and how different regions and cities approach first dates.

“Asking someone out on a date and facing the potential awkward silences that can ensue isn’t easy, so it’s fascinating to see what the go-to topics of conversation are for different people and what actions and subjects are a complete turn-off.”